liver health and homebrewing

[fredthecat]

of course the title of this thread will likely bring down your buzz, but my thoughts are positive. i had my liver checked after having been a self-described moderate drinker and very surprisingly my liver function was "very good". i eat somewhat healthy but do eat fatty stuff some times, i try to trade sugar for booze and cut down on sugar if im drinking.
i think homebrewed beer can be positive. if im drinking homebrew, i can have a glass and enjoy it. unfortunately i live in beer hell-land, so if i buy beer it's a step lower than BMC, the only reason to drink it is a buzz or social reasons and i end up drinking way more than if i have good beer.
i am getting old though, so end up making more low alcohol beers
RDWHAHB

 

[Hello]

Glad your liver is good. Keep up the good work.

 

[Zuljin]

It's all about conditioning. Like when you let a rattlesnake bite you just a little bit every other day. In a month, you're immune to the venom. Lots of stuff works this way.

 

[cannman]

I have a regular panel every year ( they always tell me I only need it once every 3 years, but I demand they do it ) and the only thing that is ever off my chart is low good cholesterol (more fish) and high triglycerides. I've talked about my drinking habit quite frankly with my doctor and agreed to lose weight and change some food habits (sodium, excessive carbs)... but I'm a home brewer and don't have any plans to quit drinking all together. Doc said "well, at least you know you're not going to quit. We can give you medication to help you along to keep those triglycerides in check if that's going to be the case. And don't add salt to your beer..."

So go regularly and keep up to date with your health numbers if you are going to drink regularly, and especially if you have any concern.

 

[FirstAidBrewing]

The fact that you are conscious of your liver health is good. I think that helps you keep your overall diet and food/drink choices in check. I'll admit that beer is probably my vice, but I'm pretty good about keeping to the recommended 2-3 drinks per day and my only alternate beverages are water and decaf coffee, so I like to think that helps. You also couldn't get me to take acetaminophen even if you paid me.

As a side fact, assuming no initial scarring, the liver can fully regenerate itself in 30 days if nothing bad happens to it (alcohol, Tylenol). Prost!

 

[Natdavis777]

The liver is a pretty resilient organ. It can self-regenerate, and your body only requires 25% of healthy liver tissue to remain functional (~40% if tissue is cirrhotic)

 

[fredthecat]

right, i forgot-my two other things i try-are no medication unless necessary, dont pop tylenols or anything (except this rare case) and do drink enough water daily

my grandpa died of cirrhosis due to alcoholism, and that's defined alcoholism for me as drinking whiskey from morning to night and eating hotdogs or bread for bare sustenance. i doubt anyone here is like that and im sure not

 

[Calichusetts]

2-3 per day...12-14 per week to keep within outlined health guidelines...again, this is the MAX amount per week

 

[AndytheBeave]

immune to the venom

Brilliant.
This is either going to be the name of my new band or the name of my next high ABV beer.

 

[Opiate42]

2-3 per day...12-14 per week to keep within outlined health guidelines...again, this is the MAX amount per week

Oops....
(last week was fun)

 

[Owly055]

It's all about conditioning. Like when you let a rattlesnake bite you just a little bit every other day. In a month, you're immune to the venom. Lots of stuff works this way.

Unfortunately it often works in reverse......... Your sensitivity to venom can increase instead of decreasing. I've known bee keepers who have had this problem, and one local guy who's business was rattlesnakes had to give it up after being bitten too many times..........


H.W.

 

[Zuljin]

It helps if you rub poison ivy all over the bite site.

 

[DrunkleJon]

Unfortunately it often works in reverse......... Your sensitivity to venom can increase instead of decreasing. I've known bee keepers who have had this problem, and one local guy who's business was rattlesnakes had to give it up after being bitten too many times..........


H.W.

True, you can sensitize yourself to compounds in the same way you desensitize. I have heard of people who liked to shock people by taking poison ivy and rubbing it on his arm because he doesnt get it. Would do this at least twice a year. Then one year he does it and gets the worst rash ever because of it.

Same for what doctors suspect is the cause of all the peanut allergies in kids nowadays.

 

[b-boy]

I don't think a few beers a day will cause any great harm to the average person.

Here's the way they used to do it: http://reason.com/archives/2014/02/22/george-washington-boozehound

I don't thank we're even close to the amount of alcohol that was consumed by the average person 200 yrs ago.

 

[kombat]

Unfortunately it often works in reverse......... Your sensitivity to venom can increase instead of decreasing.

Apparently you haven't watched "Riddick."

 

[fsr_racer]

I read medical records on a regular basis on the job. Over the winter I came across a case-a-day drinker who had only slightly elevated liver enzymes. Shortly after I had my annual blood work, and after having not had anything to drink for a month (I usually stop in Jan to start losing winter weight) my enzymes where higher than his. Two months later my doctor wanted me checked again, I had lost 7lbs, and they were back within normal range. I'm sure if I drank a gallon of vodka daily they would be crazy, but for the amount I drink it appears that my weight affects my liver function more than alcohol consumption.

 

[fredthecat]

I don't thank we're even close to the amount of alcohol that was consumed by the average person 200 yrs ago.

haha yeah, and actually compared to a lot of places even in the world today. im in korea and senior citizens will often start their day with a large cup of mild rice wine, construction sites are littered with empty bottles of the same as it's seen as a half-food, half-refreshing drink. work lunches, depending on the age of the people can be like a relic of the 1950s in north america-a few drinks and then back to work.

on the other hand, people in the west often see only black and white-"ITS ALCOHOL" or not, regardless of the fact that if someone had a pint of low-alcohol bitter with a mid-day meal it really wouldnt affect their performance in any way. same thing with "drinking and driving", a notion i frankly hate.

 

[joe_four_strings]

And don't add salt to your beer..."

So, no Gose???

 

[Owly055]

Apparently you haven't watched "Riddick."

I have no idea what "Riddick" is.......... Presumably a TV show??? I'll be 60 this year, and will be able claim to have lived 60 television free years....... I've never had any desire to live with one of those obnoxious things, and be subjected to the garbage, social engineering, and propaganda they spew constantly. Unfortunately you cannot escape it entirely.

Whatever "Riddick" is......... I speak from real world observation when I state that one can develop resistance, or develop sensitivity......... It can go either way.

H.W.

 

[Old_el_Paseo]

And thats 2-3 and 12 - 14 normal sized beers. Not liters.

 

[kombat]

I have no idea what "Riddick" is.

It's a movie. Vin Diesel gets stranded on a barren planet inhabited by scorpion-like reptiles that live in the mud puddles. He must get past one to escape the cave and make his way to a more habitable part of the planet.

The monsters inject their victims with venom through their fangs. So Riddick captures a baby one and extracts its venom, then slowly injects himself with more and more of the venom to build up a resistance so he can eventually get past the main monster without succumbing to the venom.

......... Presumably a TV show??? I'll be 60 this year, and will be able claim to have lived 60 television free years.

Why would you want to "claim" such a thing? Are you proud of it for some reason? Should one be proud of never owning a toaster, telephone, or car?

I've never had any desire to live with one of those obnoxious things

TVs aren't obnoxious. Some (most?) of the programming can be, but other programs can be quite interesting and entertaining.

and be subjected to the garbage, social engineering, and propaganda they spew constantly. Unfortunately you cannot escape it entirely.

If you haven't seen a TV in 60 years, how do you know what they "spew?"

It's moot anyway, as "Riddick" is a film, not a TV show. Or have you also shunned movie theatres for the better half of a century? You must be a blast at parties. I bet you hate all music produced after John Lennon died, too. What do you think of kids who wear their hats backwards and their pants around their knees?

 

[Natdavis777]

Who is John Lennon?

 

[harleybug88]

Who is John Lennon?

Didn't he have something to do with Russia?

 

[Natdavis777]

Didn't he have something to do with Russia?

Ahh! He invented vodka...

 

[DrunkleJon]

Who is John Lennon?

?

 

[b-boy]

I've never had any desire to live with one of those obnoxious things, and be subjected to the garbage, social engineering, and propaganda they spew constantly. Unfortunately you cannot escape it entirely.

No TV, but internet is OK?

In regards to spewed garbage and social engineering, the internet trumps TV by a mile.

 

[Owly055]

No TV, but internet is OK?

In regards to spewed garbage and social engineering, the internet trumps TV by a mile.

I don't agree with that. There is a ton of garbage on the net yes......... But you have to seek things out proactively. I don't sit in front of my computer passively and have garbage dumped over me in a constant stream like people do with TV. You actively search for what you want and select search results, evaluating the sources. If you choose to immerse yourself in sewage, you have nobody to blame but yourself. In terms of news, there is a vast array of sources and viewpoints. For example I can check out what the National Standard or Fox News has to say if I want to see where the radical right is, or read the Tehran Times or Al Haaretz if I'm interested in what the Iranians and Israelis are saying. I can look at The Taipei Times, the UK Guardian, etc for other viewpoints, or read The Nation or The New Internationalist, or Common Dreams for the left slant on things. I often scan Al Jazeera when I want a more realistic view of events in the middle east....keeping in mind their anti Israel bias. When the New York Times sends me a heads up on some national or world event, I have dozens of locations from which to find differing perspectives. You can't do that with TV....... I can also block adds completely....... and I do. The options simply are not there, and from what I've seen, most TV viewers select the viewpoint such as FOX they like, simply switch it on and allow others to decide what kind of garbage they are going to feed the audience. It is a passive pursuit, not an active one. The so called "entertainment" is such absolute garbage, I find it amazing that people actually watch it! Obsessed with sex and violence, crude and adolescent humor, so called "reality" shows that have absolutely nothing to do with reality, and adds that insult the intelligence.

Your noble defense of TV is admirable ;-) ............. But comparing it with the net is beyond absurd. There is plenty out there for perverts, morons, and radicals.....but they have to actively hunt it down, and choose. Note also that the net offers myriad forums where people exchange ideas, experiences, and thoughts......... forums such as this one where there is a productive exchange between people. I actively chose this forum, I didn't just push a button on the remote looking for a channel where some nitwit or self proclaimed expert was demonstrating how to brew..............

The net has plenty of garbage........but TV is almost pure unadulterated garbage heavily salted with adds that insult the intelligence of viewers...... though in recent years, I've seen a few that are more entertaining than the programming. Every home or business I go into seems to have a TV blaring away in the background..........fortunately interest in TV seems to be declining......... When it disappears off the face of the earth, I won't shed a single tear...........

H.W.

 

[b-boy]

I don't agree with that. There is a ton of garbage on the net yes......... But you have to seek things out proactively. I don't sit in front of my computer passively and have garbage dumped over me in a constant stream like people do with TV. You actively search for what you want and select search results, evaluating the sources. If you choose to immerse yourself in sewage, you have nobody to blame but yourself. In terms of news, there is a vast array of sources and viewpoints. For example I can check out what the National Standard or Fox News has to say if I want to see where the radical right is, or read the Tehran Times or Al Haaretz if I'm interested in what the Iranians and Israelis are saying. I can look at The Taipei Times, the UK Guardian, etc for other viewpoints, or read The Nation or The New Internationalist, or Common Dreams for the left slant on things. I often scan Al Jazeera when I want a more realistic view of events in the middle east....keeping in mind their anti Israel bias.

TV works the same way. You can find what you want, and ignore what you don't want. There are more than 3 channels these days.

The so called "entertainment" is such absolute garbage, I find it amazing that people actually watch it! Obsessed with sex and violence, crude and adolescent humor, so called "reality" shows that have absolutely nothing to do with reality, and adds that insult the intelligence.
Your noble defense of TV is admirable ;-) ............. But comparing it with the net is beyond absurd. There is plenty out there for perverts, morons, and radicals.....but they have to actively hunt it down, and choose.

OK - now you're hitting below the belt. You just insulted my entire demographic (and lifestyle).

The net has plenty of garbage........but TV is almost pure unadulterated garbage heavily salted with adds that insult the intelligence of viewers...... though in recent years, I've seen a few that are more entertaining than the programming. Every home or business I go into seems to have a TV blaring away in the background..........fortunately interest in TV seems to be declining......... When it disappears off the face of the earth, I won't shed a single tear...........

First of all, it's not disappearing - it's just moving to the internet. Actually, if you include Netflix and Amazon Prime, it's already there.

I think you're using a really, really wide brushstroke here. Sure, there's a lot of crap on the air, but there's a lot of crap in the newspapers, the internet, the radio, and walking around in a mall. It's not evil, it's just TV.

 

[Owly055]

TV works the same way. You can find what you want, and ignore what you don't want. There are more than 3 channels these days.



OK - now you're hitting below the belt. You just insulted my entire demographic.



First of all, it's not disappearing - it's just moving to the internet. Actually, if you include Netflix and Amazon Prime, it's already there.

I think you're using a really, really wide brushstroke here. Sure, there's a lot of crap on the air, but there's a lot of crap in the newspapers, the internet, the radio, and walking around in a mall. It's not evil, it's just TV.

Let's drop this........... It's way off topic....... we've both spoken our piece.


H.W.

 

[kombat]

The so called "entertainment" is such absolute garbage, I find it amazing that people actually watch it! Obsessed with sex and violence, crude and adolescent humor, so called "reality" shows that have absolutely nothing to do with reality, and adds that insult the intelligence.

Wow. You're so much better than us.

 

[kombat]

TV is almost pure unadulterated garbage heavily salted with adds that insult the intelligence of viewers.

OK, one more comment on this topic, then I'm ignoring you.

I'm not sure how you know so much about television since you've admitted you don't even watch it. Nevertheless...

There are plenty of channels that are entertaining and educational, and certainly not "garbage." I watch shows on the Discovery channel, National Geographic Channel, Food Network, and occasionally sports channels. There are also local programming channels and dozens of channels that just play nothing but music (my wife and I put on the Chamber Music channel during dinner on date nights).

As for ads, I wouldn't know, I don't watch ads. It's 2015. We have a Tivo (or, at least, our provider's version of one). It's programmed to record shows we're interested in so that when we sit down to watch them, we just skip over all of the ads.

 

[harleybug88]

Let's drop this........... It's way off topic....... we've both spoken our piece.


H.W.

I always thought it was, "we've spoken our peace".

Now I feel dumb. :smack:

 

[ErieShores]

A suppliment that helped to lower my liver enzymes:
Milk thistle

 

[Pyg]

I have no idea what "Riddick" is.......... Presumably a TV show??? I'll be 60 this year, and will be able claim to have lived 60 television free years....... I've never had any desire to live with one of those obnoxious things, and be subjected to the garbage, social engineering, and propaganda they spew constantly. Unfortunately you cannot escape it entirely.



.

I am with you. I can claim to never have read a novel or a book. "I've never had any desire to live with one of those obnoxious things, and be subjected to the garbage, social engineering, and propaganda they spew constantly".

But in all seriousness. I drink beer, black coffee and enough water to choke a camel!
I flush my system with water all day and before bed.
drink enough water until you feel like you have to pee and then drink some more!
But I did not learn this from a book!

 

[FirstAidBrewing]

haha yeah, and actually compared to a lot of places even in the world today.

While in the US, we are told to stick to 2-3 drinks per day, I read recently that Spain's recommended daily limit is 7. Great Britain is around 3 beers/4 "units" (Brits, correct me if I am wrong). Just goes to show that we, as a whole, probably, don't know...

 

[Calichusetts]

There s a nice website out there for global drinking levels if you google it. I have an article out soon on this as well

 

[harleybug88]

A suppliment that helped to lower my liver enzymes:
Milk thistle

I take Milk thistle too, but always wondered if it was really helpful.

Did you get tested before and after taking it, did you still drink and see a lower enzyme count?

 

[Natdavis777]

I take Milk thistle too, but always wondered if it was really helpful.

Did you get tested before and after taking it, did you still drink and see a lower enzyme count?

Milk thistle is popular in the bodybuilding/weightlifting world for those who like to partake in steroids and prohormones. Good at protecting the liver from the methylated crap steroids/PH are made up of.

 

[Zuljin]

But does it protect your punch berries? Billy wants to know.

 

[Natdavis777]

That is what cycling, nolvadex, and anti-aromatase supplements are for.